By Truck to Bethlehem...sort off..

Today has been a day for driving across from New Mexico into Arizona.  

What?

As I worked on things I put on the video of, 'BigRig Travels,' in the background.

This is live, usually, from the front of a truck travelling across the USA from one spot to another.  

OK, it is not the most exciting thing you will see, depending on various car drivers that pass by, but it does show the real USA as we pass.

For example, this day has been spent in an almost straight road passing by land that is almost all scrub.

The view is constantly the same.  Scrub at either side, an occasional turn off to a town, and then more flat land for miles ahead, a blue sky for much of the way also.  

I keep asking myself why they forced the Indian's off the land as there is nothing to be made of it out here.   What is here?  Why do Wilmslow and Flagstaff exist?  What keeps people here in the middle of nowhere?

Anyhow, by the time he reached Flagstaff we saw hills  in the distance, towering above the area.  Vast miles of low lying land, actually 6000 feet above sea level, and sky filled the day for the driver.  You can see on those 'Virtual Railfan' cams that Flagstaff gets snow early and deep and it lies for a while.  

The Highway was busy, especially near towns, but at times scarce vehicles were noted.  The job of a long distance truck driver is great if you like being on your own for hours at a time.  This left me regretting not taking those £2 an hour driving lessons back in 1971.  I would have loved a wee van to run around delivering in.

Our friend Psephizo makes some interesting points regarding the birth of Jesus.  He, and indeed other worthies, believe Jesus was born in a house, similar to those found in that area even today.  The description given, and the picture provided, offer one interpretation from those who have travelled in that are during the last 200 years or so.  The style of house has changed little, as those travelling during the 19th century found.  

The house is usually a one roomed building, often with an area beneath or alongside for the animals.

The 'manger' however, from which the animals were fed, lay in the corner of the living room.  This is because there was only one room, and all lived within one room.  

This rather poor shot I took within a small Byzantine house at the Temple in Jerusalem.  As far as I can recall this was the entire house, note how small it is!  I stand on a raised platform, about 4 ft wide, that stretched across the room.  I took this to be the sleeping area.  Bethlehem homes may have been similar in size, with added rooms according to your wealth.  This Essex town has many grand aged houses which began 500 years ago as one room, after which wealth enabled other rooms to be added, this is an old practice.  The writers of these articles imply the house where Mary and Joseph stayed at that time, connected to the family, possibly some say Josephs actual home, while Mary came from Nazareth, possibly, but certainly he would be welcomed by family of some sort.  

The animals next door would reach in, or come in to eat from the manger.  You will understand the cultural differences, but remember houses divided between humans and animals were common in various parts of the Atlantic Islands until comparatively recently.  

Possibly this example is better:

This makes more sense to me. Quite how it operated, the family in one room, the animals, the kids, I have no idea, but this does mean the thought of Jesus in a stable, or a cave as I have thought for some time, is ruled out.  

'Katalmya,' is the word used for a guest room and implies there was no room for the couple in the 'guest room,' so Jesus was born in the living area.  This is why he was placed in a manger, not in a separate building but in a crowded house. 

Not my idea of Christmas...

Of course we are reading from clever people who understand the background, the local attitudes and both Greek and Hebrew.   We rely on those who have travelled in the past, and Historical insights, often unknown to those who translated the scriptures in the days of long ago.  This proves our need to study and understand what is said, not what is believed today.

It changes my outlook.

Jesus was born at the poor end of society, to a girl about 14 years of age, in a crowded house, and left in the feeding bowl.  Quite a start for the Son of God and the ruler of all.

Sunday Before Christmas

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

in the bleak midwinter, long ago. 

Now just hold there a minute.  It is indeed winter here in the northern hemisphere but a historical minded type might wish to indicate that Jesus more likely arrived in the Springtime.  I say this because one reason I wear a 'Bah Humbug!' hat is my antipathy towards historical falsehoods and the facile jollity of the Christmas season.  Jesus came to earth indeed but what we see around us does not reveal him or his reason for coming. 
Somewhere in the past a someone thought he was being clever in deciding to 'Christianise' the midwinter festival, a time of jollity, hedonism and many booze ups, this was supposed to clean things up.  What has happened?  Christmas has become a time of jollity, hedonism and many booze ups!  Scotland at least kept the two separate leaving Christmas as a quieter time and the booze and hedonism for the New Year celebration, both just a time to rejoice that Spring was coming once again.  Some like to call this the Roman 'Saturnalia' but for those in norther climes this event goes way back into prehistory when the shortest day of the year is celebrated, and who can blame them?  Tomorrow is the 21st and the shortest day and I am glad!  However Christmas has been placed here instead of Springtime so we may as well get on with it now.
   

The need to attend a census in Bethlehem Josephs family home meant a long walk to the south for the Nazareth based pair.  Christmas cards may show romantic drawings of a woman on a donkey led by a caring husband but in truth if they had a donkey, which I doubt as they could only afford the cheapest sacrifice after the birth, if they had a donkey the man would have sat on it, she after all is only a woman.  

Once at the destination the pair would have arrived at the family home seeking the patriarch and somewhere to have the child, no 'Inn' as they did not exist however the region does contain rock that is porous which leaves many caves often used even today as barns or stables.  It is most likely Jesus entered the world there.  Out of the way from the family members, probably overcrowded indoors so this would have been better for Mary rather than a mob in a building.  Mary herself may well have been merely 14 years of age as that was a common age to marry, Joseph probably around the 20 years mark, just as well no politically correct social workers were around to ensure she was 'kept safe' at the time.

It is however interesting that once the child was born and wrapped as was the fashion in strips of cloth and placed in the feeding trough used by any animals around, the 'manger' it is then shepherds appear.  These rough men, carrying with them the odour of country living as well as sheep, arrive to bow down to this child.  For the parents, one visited by an angel, the other informed by dream that God was at work, this must have been quite an event.  Just what was going through their heads as these men worshipped and departed singing praise to God? 

As if this was not enough Magi make an entrance.  Forget three men on camels pointing at a star having travelled several hundred miles supplied by a pack of sandwiches and a vacuum flask of coffee, these men must have had a sizeable entourage with them, donkeys, camels, servants all hanging about outside.  This happened during the night, a time when people stayed firmly indoors, so it is no wonder no others noticed.  First shepherds bowing to the child, then gifts of Frankincense, myrrh and gold from people from the top end of society, the parents wonder must have grown.  

Then their sleep disturbed by Joseph being informed to take the child and flee to Egypt.  

What a night.  Two young people, a baby arriving is hard enough let alone when forced round the corner out of the way.  This is then followed by appearances of worshipping shepherds and Magi and the warning to run.  Egypt is a long walk from Bethlehem and these two must have been somewhat tired by it all.  

Note that at no time did yellow arcs range over their heads in the stable.  No mention is made of other animals like donkeys or cattle, however they would at least make the place warm.  No sign of 'Hollywood' lighting all around or fancy camera angles as in the picture at the top, the nearest I could find to the real thing, no crooning carols, no 'white Christmas' and definitely no 'Santa Claus!' 

This was the real world.

Today we see refugees in similar straits yet we often find the media implying they are scroungers, even if they have lost houses, possessions and family members through travel problems, war and death.  How many attend Carol services tonight yet would refuse an immigrant in need a bed?  how many love the 'magic of Christmas' yet ignore the reality of the God who entered with angel voices reflecting God's joy that salvation had arrived and would some years later be accomplished by a horrifying death on a cross for all who would believe?

The tinsel Christmas is not one for me, the real Christmas is deeper and harder and the choice it forces us to make one many run from to what they consider an easier life, one that fails ultimately.